Wild West Midlands: New Voices of the Wild
The West Midlands is a region rich in history, culture, and wildlife. From ancient woodlands and winding canals to urban nature reserves and post-industrial landscapes reclaimed by nature, there is a fascinating story to be told in every corner of the region.
That is the inspiration behind Wild West Midlands, a new wildlife and heritage series presented by aspiring wildlife broadcasters Ryan Eddowes and Adam O’Hare.
Together, they are travelling across the West Midlands Combined Authority area to document the landscapes, history and wildlife that make the region unique. While the natural world is at the heart of the series, they also aim to explore the people, places and stories that have shaped the West Midlands and continue to influence its environment today. Bringing warmth and humor to their co-presenting.
What makes Wild West Midlands different is not just the locations visited, but the people telling the stories.
Ryan Eddowes BSc (Hons), a qualified Zoologist and Herpetologist from Wolverhampton, has dedicated his life to studying and conserving wildlife. A proud Yam Yam, Ryan is passionate about showcasing the natural treasures of the Black Country and proving that local voices deserve a place in the wildlife media industry. Born with bilateral clubfeet and now living with a prosthetic leg following a recent below-the-knee amputation of his right leg due to the severity of his condition, Ryan hopes to become one of the first wildlife presenters with clubfeet and a prosthetic leg to front a wildlife series. His journey demonstrates that disability should never be a barrier to exploring, studying, communicating, or presenting the natural world.
Alongside Ryan is broadcaster and naturalist Adam O’Hare. A proud Brummie, Adam brings a wealth of presenting experience and a passion for connecting people with nature. Following a recent ADHD and Autism diagnosis (AuDHD), Adam hopes to show that neurodivergent people can thrive in broadcasting and conservation. Nature has long been recognised for its positive impact on wellbeing, and Adam’s story highlights how spending time outdoors can inspire, focus and connect people from all walks of life. As a gay presenter, he also wants to help demonstrate that wildlife television should reflect the diversity of modern Britain and that LGBTQ+ voices belong within the conservation and broadcasting industries.
Coming from working-class backgrounds, both Ryan and Adam understand that wildlife television has often felt inaccessible to people who do not fit the traditional mold. Through Wild West Midlands, they want to challenge perceptions and help open doors for a new generation of presenters, zoologists, conservationists, and storytellers. Their message is simple: nature belongs to everyone, and the people presenting it should reflect that.
We are also proud to be in collaboration with Wolverhampton University as two incredible researchers Esther Asprey Senior Lecturer in Linguistics and English Language and Dr Robert Francis who is a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing who are both working on a dictionary that encompasses all of the words that we in black country used to say, and to hopefully bring this incredible language back to our area so it’s not lost to history. This is where Adam and I come in, in our videos, we will use Black Country and Brummie Dialect to bring authenticity to us as presenters and to showcase the amazing words that many years ago everyone from our areas used to speak to each other, that’s Bostin ay it.
The first episode takes viewers to Wolverhampton, Ryan’s hometown. Often recognised for its industrial heritage, Wolverhampton is also home to remarkable wildlife and green spaces that many people overlook.
The episode explores the city’s rich history before heading into Smestow Valley Local Nature Reserve, one of Wolverhampton’s most important wildlife sites. Following the route of the former railway line and the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal, the reserve provides a vital haven for birds, mammals, reptiles, insects and plant life. Here, the presenters uncover the hidden natural wonders thriving alongside a bustling urban environment and reveal why spaces like Smestow Valley are so important for both wildlife and local communities.
Throughout the series, viewers will discover a side of the West Midlands rarely seen on television. From the Black Country to Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and beyond, the series uncovers wildlife stories that exist right on people’s doorsteps.
Wild West Midlands is more than a wildlife programme. It is a celebration of regional identity, diversity, and accessibility. It is proof that wildlife broadcasting can sound different, look different, and come from different backgrounds while still telling compelling stories about the natural world.
As two aspiring presenters with deep roots in the region, Ryan and Adam are proud to bring authentic Black Country and Birmingham voices to the screen. They hope their journey inspires others to explore local wildlife, embrace their individuality, and realise that there is a place for everyone in conservation and wildlife media.
More About the Presenters
Ryan Eddowes BSc (Hons)
Growing up in the urban environment of Wolverhampton, Ryan’s first connection with nature came through his grandparents. His grandfather introduced him to fauna, while his grandmother introduced him to flora, and their wildlife-filled garden sparked a passion that would shape his life.
After studying Animal Care at Rodbaston College and Zoology with Herpetology BSc (Hons) at Bangor University, Ryan travelled the world filming and researching wildlife, including a filmmaking internship in South Africa. Despite being told that his clubfoot would prevent him from working with wildlife, he has built a career spanning more than 12 years in conservation, education, and presenting.
Today, Ryan creates engaging wildlife content through projects such as Ranger Ryan and Attenborough’s Animals: An Accessible Adventure. With the signed support of Sir David Attenborough, Ryan is travelling the world to find species named after him while showcasing life and adventure with a prosthetic leg. Ryan is also proud to be an ambassador for Steps Charity, supporting people with lower-limb conditions such as clubfoot and hip dysplasia. Lastly, Ryan is a Global Ambassador for Purple Tuesday, a charity that urges organizations to make their businesses accessible for people with disabilities.
Adam O’Hare
With a deep affinity for nature from a very early age, also encouraged by family, Adam grew up in a semi-rural suburb of south Birmingham, bordering north Worcestershire, before changing his last name from Canning to O’Hare as he takes pride in both his Celtic and Brummie heritage.
Catching the attention of the Editor-in-Chief of Reader’s Digest magazine, Adam was commissioned to create a series for the publication’s website entitled Wildlife Monthly, which ran for two series and served as a seasonal guide to the nature of the British Isles.
With a Media Production Level 5 HND and a Level 3 Nature Conservation Diploma, Adam has featured twice on BBC Midlands Today for unique wildlife footage and has worked with Birmingham TV as their Wildlife Correspondent, appearing in two live studio interviews and producing several packages for the station’s news programme. He has also interviewed BBC Gardeners’ World presenters and show garden design winners while presenting and producing videos at the NEC Birmingham for two consecutive years during BBC Gardeners’ World Live, advocating for and celebrating wildlife-friendly gardening.
After impressing a station director at Cambridge TV with a video promoting International Dawn Chorus Day, Adam and a friend were invited to discuss the creation of another project. The meeting ultimately resulted in a commission for The Wild Side, a series showcasing nature conservation and wildlife watching in and around Cambridgeshire, which Adam co-presented and co-produced.
Adam is one of the UK Wild Otter Trust’s ambassadors, and over the years Adam volunteered for different projects with the Bat Conservation Trust, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, the RSPB, Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park, The Wildlife Trust and the National Trust, engaging visitors, other volunteers and staff, about the wildlife seen on site.